Concrete

Plumbing Grounds

Foundation Plumbing When building your own home, the plumbing grounds stage of construction will come after the forms have been set, and a load of sand has been delivered and spread out inside of the form boards for cushioning. At this time you will schedule the plumbing contractor to come out to the house and [...]

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Foundation Inspection

Foundation

First Foundation Inspection When building your own home, it is important to know that you need to have the foundation inspection called in to the applicable inspectors with sufficient lead times to ensure availability of the inspectors. The foundation inspection should not be called in, however, until you have had sufficient time yourself to thoroughly [...]

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Checklist for Pouring Slab

Concrete

Checklist for Pouring Concrete Slab Verify the engineering representative has been called and is at the job site. Accomplish the engineers slab inspection (see foundation category for checklist) Make sure the concrete finisher arrives one hour in advance of the first truck, allowing time to cancel or delay placement Use grade stakes to make sure [...]

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Slab Placement

Concrete

Concrete Slab Placement (Pouring Slab) Following completion of any foundation inspection requirements and receiving an approved form survey, the slab is ready for placement. Any equipment required for concrete placement should be provided by the contractor(s). Advance coordination with the concrete supplier and the concrete finishing contractor ensures timely arrival and placement of concrete with [...]

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Tractor Rough Grade

Drainage

When building your own home, you will want to perform the tractor rough grade immediately after the slab is poured and the form boards are removed. The purpose of the lot scrape is to provide adequate drainage of surface water away from the slab (Make sure the sewer and water tap have already been completed) [...]

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Driveways on Curbed Streets

Concrete

Construction Notes for Sidewalks & Driveways on Curbed-Type Streets (Residential Areas) Proposed driveway, sidewalk, curb, gutter line and grade shall match existing street Proposed sidewalk shall be constructed with portland cement (4 1/2″ sack cement per cubic yard). Four inches thick and 4 feet minimum width Proposed driveway shall be built with portland cement concrete [...]

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Concrete Expansion Joints

Concrete

Isolation/Expansion Joints in Concrete When building your own home, one of the items that will require your attention during the foundation/flatwork portion of construction is checking the use of expansion joints. Slab-on-grade isolation joints are used where a concrete slab meets another slab or other concrete structure, such as: Sidewalks or driveways adjacent to your [...]

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Cutting Curbs and Sidewalks

Concrete

Following slab placement, form wreck and lot debris removal, you should schedule your tractor man to cut down the flatwork areas for concrete placement. This is also when the contractor responsible for cutting the curb for driveway and sidewalk placement will be ready to come to the jobsite. When building your own home, you should [...]

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Post Tension Cables

post tension foundations

Post-tensioned concrete incorporates 1/2 inch steel cables to provide internal stress as a means of transferring or counteracting eternal loads a concrete slab is designed to support. Slab design is based on a soil analysis accomplished before any home construction should begin. The foundation plan and beam detail sheet provided by the slab engineer outlines [...]

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Strip Concrete Forms

Concrete

The day following slab placement you should have the concrete finishing contractor return to strip the form boards from the slab. The form boards must be stripped, all honeycomb and poorly formed slab corners should be grouted, and the jobsite free of debris before you proceed with building your home and prior to the contractor [...]

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